Sunday Notebook: Construction starts on senior housing downtown

Roger Bull

Sunday

Apr 23, 2017 at 8:20 AM

The fence that has gone up around two blocks between Jefferson and Broad streets downtown has got some people talking, especially because the block between Houston and Forsyth streets has been empty so long. But that’s all for construction of Houston Street Manor, an apartment complex for low-income seniors that’s going across Houston from the big empty block.

Beneficial Communities of Sarasota is developing the seven-story building, which will have two floors of parking topped by five floors with a total of 72 units.

The empty block is just being used for staging.

The income limits change each year with the median income in the area. But right now, it’s a maximum of $27,300 for one person, $31,200 for two, $35,100 for three and $38,940 for four. Rents for the 37 one-bedroom units are $655 a month. The 35 two-bedroom units are $775.

The complex is limited to ages 55 and over.

Beneficial paid $975,000 for the three parcels totalling about half an acre last year. That empty block is still owned by the Foram Group out of Miami.

Of course, a little farther down Jefferson, work is underway on Lofts at LaVilla, a 130-unit affordable housing complex. It’s not limited to seniors, but has the same income guidelines. The rents: $634 for a studio, $676 for one bedroom, $811 for two bedrooms and $937 for three bedrooms.

That’s being developed by Vestcor subsidiary TVC Development, which is also planning Lofts at Monroe, a 108-unit project planned for the block bounded by W. Monroe, W. Adams, N. Davis and N. Lee streets.

It got its final approval by the Downtown Development Review Board on Thursday, but still has to get a couple of other city approvals.

San Marco

And in case you missed Friday’s story on the DDRB meeting, a 143-unit apartment building is being planned for 1444 Home St. That’s just north of the Interstate 95 overpass and behind Clara’s Tidbits on Hendricks Avenue. Plans call for a four-story apartment building and a three-story parking garage.

More San Marco

Steller’s Gallery has moved out of its longtime home on Atlantic Boulevard in San Marco. Now the new owners have taken possession. Allen England Holdings paid $905,000 for the 4,030-square-foot building, which will become the headquarters for Industry West, an e-commerce furniture company now based on Hendricks Avenue.

Jordan England, co-founder and CEO, said his company has manufacturers around the world and all of its sales are done online. But the new headquarters will allow it to have a small showroom and storefront. The company, IndustryWest.com, has distribution centers in Jacksonville and Los Angeles.

Wawa!

An alert reader noticed that the corner of Monument and McCormick was not on the list of opening dates for the Wawa chain, despite being one of the first locations the company announced. A spokeswoman tells me that the company is still pursuing that site, but doesn’t have the necessary approvals lined up to make a formal announcement yet.

San Jose

And as reported last week, Gate Petroleum is tearing down its store and gas station at 9540 San Jose Blvd., replacing it with a new and bigger store and gas station. The company’s headquarters is right behind the store.

Right across the street is a new Daily’s store and gas station that’s under construction.

11401 Atlantic Blvd., new Audi Jacksonville dealership, $3 million, 37,740 square feet, EnviroStruct. The groundbreaking for the latest addition to the Hanania Automotive Group was held Tuesday. It’s expected to open in the fourth quarter of this year.

1810 W. Beaver St., addition of canopies and extension of existing sidewalks at Jacksonville Farmers Market, $548,178, Center, Knight & May Contractors. The farmers market received a $150,000 grant from the city last year to help pay for the improvements.

8014 Bayberry Road Real Estate LLC of New York paid $4,750,000 for the 32,781-square-foot office building at 8014 Bayberry Road. It was built in 1978 and last sold for $2.7 million in 2004.

Richard A. Kadel LLC of Sarasota paid $4,350,000 for Caliber Collision building at 13051 Beach Blvd. and the property behind it for a total of 4.3 acres. It was built in 1976 and sold for $3.1 million last year.

6621 Southpoint Drive North LLC of Jacksonville paid $2,308,750 for the three-story, 39,416-square-foot office building at 6621 N. Southpoint Drive. It was built in 1984 and last sold for $1.9 million in 2015.